Thread

1. zkmon · 1790486903 · focus · HN ↗

   >> we should make an extra effort to cultivate relationships with each other and form communities online – communities that belong to us, not some billionaire.

   The assumption here is that, people as a crowd, have some discretion, will, thouhht, intention, agentic control and act to change something.

   Mostly they don't. Especially on the matters that don't affect their survival drastically.Things might be going down-hill, but if is a slide with mild ramp, no one even notices it. They might even enjoy the ride and going-down is normalized.

   Just like Romans might have done when the Rome declined over a prolonged period. No one noticed it.

   People are just subjects without own descretion on all matters that are not survival related. They go with crowd. Theat's precisely why we have billionaires owning people's communities.

   1. em-bee · 1790555744 · focus · HN ↗

      so you are arguing that once people form a crowd, they lose any sense of direction unless a strong leader steps up and pushes them somewhere?

      i think Free Software and Open Source are counter examples. and i bet there are more. FOSS started with a good idea. not with a good leader. i love and respect richard stallman, but he is not a good leader. people follow him because he has a great idea and makes every effort to defend that idea.

      the point being: if you have a set of beliefs, principles and you find others that agree, you potentially have something that is strong enough to keep the group on course.

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